A roundup of bio/pharmaceutical partnering news from Pfizer/Flagship Pioneering, Novo Nordisk/Eleven Therapeutics, and Roche/KSQ Therapeutics. 

* Pfizer, Flagship Pioneering in Drug-Development Pact Worth Up to $7 Bn 
* Novo Nordisk, Eleven Therapeutics in RNA Drug-Delivery Pact
* Roche, KSQ Therapeutics in Licensing Pact for Anti-Cancer Drug Candidate 

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Pfizer, Flagship Pioneering in Drug-Development Pact Worth Up to $7 Bn 
Pfizer and Flagship Pioneering, an investment firm focused on bio/pharmaceutical companies, have partnered to create a new pipeline of medicines in a deal worth up to $7 billion ($50 million upfront from each company and $700 million in milestone payments for each of 10 programs under the partnership).  

Under the agreement, Flagship and Pfizer will each invest $50 million upfront to develop 10 single-asset programs by using Flagship’s ecosystem of more than 40 human health companies and multiple biotechnology platforms. Pfizer will fund and have an option to acquire each selected development program. Flagship and its bioplatform companies will be eligible to receive up to $700 million in milestones and royalties for each successfully commercialized program. 

Source: Flagship Pioneering 

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Novo Nordisk, Eleven Therapeutics in RNA Drug-Delivery Pact 
Novo Nordisk and Eleven Therapeutics, a bio/pharmaceutical company specializing in RNA therapeutics and the delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics, have entered a research collaboration for nucleic acid medicines for treating cardiometabolic diseases. 

Under the agreement, the companies will use Eleven’s DELiveri platform, which uses DNA-encoded libraries to discover conjugates that effectively deliver therapeutic molecules into target cell types of interest by identifying molecules that promote precise delivery of nucleic acids. 

Source: Eleven Therapeutics 

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Roche, KSQ Therapeutics in Licensing Pact for Anti-Cancer Drug Candidate 
Roche and KSQ Therapeutics, a clinical-stage bio/pharmaceutical company, have entered a worldwide license and collaboration agreement for the development and commercialization of KSQ Therapeutics’ KSQ-4279, a cancer drug currently in a Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of solid tumors. 

Under the agreement, Roche will assume development responsibilities for KSQ-4279, which has the potential to treat a variety of cancers. KSQ will receive an upfront payment and will be eligible to receive additional milestone and royalty payments. In turn, KSQ grants Roche a global license wherein Roche will be fully responsible for the further development of KSQ-4279 in 2024. 

Source: KSQ Therapeutics